Get Busy Living or Get Busy Dying
by SoundEffects and OverDramatic
Summary: SasukeSakura After the 2 ½ years or so time jump. Sasuke is back, willingly or not. And Sakura is dragged back into a severed friendship, of sorts. This is a repost of a story I started. I didn’t like where it was going. Meant to be a couple long parts.
1. Chapter 1

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**Get Busy Living Or Get Busy Dying**-- Sasuke/Sakura After the 2 ½ years or so time jump. Sasuke is back, willingly or not. And Sakura is dragged back into a severed friendship, of sorts. **This is a repost of a story I started. I didn't like where it was going. Meant to be a couple long parts.**

_DISCLAIMER: I actually don't own Naruto characters, plot, or ideas and (sadly) will most likely never will…_

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**R**ain lashed at the window of a large office, the sky beyond was shadowed from the thunderclouds. Lightening flashed illuminating the rest of the room that wasn't bathed in the golden glow of the desk lamp. A blonde woman sat at a gleaming mahogany desk, thin fingers steeped. Her crystal blue eyes were hard as she watched the young man standing stationary before her.

The young man, teenager really, was tall and gangly. Blond locks of hair were naturally spiked at strange angles. His normally ecstatic features were serious and stoic, his light sapphire eyes a dark sea blue.

The stretched silence was awkward. The teenager barely sighed and with a short bow that was almost a mock at his superior he turned sharply.

"Oh and Naruto…?

Naruto paused in the doorway, hands clenched at his side while the bloodied cut from his pervious mission's fight were now healed, supernaturally fast, though he was still dusty and torn.

The Hokage's voice was eerily cold. "This mission must succeed at all costs. Neutralize Uchiha… or kill him."

Naruto stiffened visibly beneath the tattered black and orange jumpsuit. Then his shoulders squared and his chin raised a fraction of an inch. His voice was detached and distant when he replied softly.

"Yes, Tsunade-sama."

Lightening flashed again; Naruto's bitter eyes glowered with confusion and hate. The words felt insensitive and repulsive as they formed on his tongue. His head turned to steal a look over his shoulder guardedly

"… If I must I will kill him…"

Lightening flashed as miles away the air was split, sizzling, by a fully charged "lightening blade."

A figure slashed the air again swinging a supernatural fast sweep that would have taken a grown mans head off. But he wasn't there. He never was. The younger man pulled back watching his more experienced adversary block his every attempt. Taking a deep breath he dodged in and the pair met in a flurry of mad blows, each performed with deadly precision and blocked with natural ease

Suddenly the attacker jumped away, flipping back over his hands and jumping straight up into the trees as a hidden kunai was stabbed at his gut. Seeing the movement in the arm muscles, he twisted, letting the kunai pass carelessly close

The defender quickly switched directions, flipping the kunai to hold it defensively between him and his opponent. The younger man settled into a crouch, panting softly, hidden in the density of the trees branches to catch his breath. His left foot moved a hairs breath, half of it already off the tree limb.

Naruto extended his foot to the next branch as he poured on the speed, trees and brush blending like running watercolor. Naruto briefly closed his eyes enjoying the feel of the chakra flowing through his muscles

The tips of his ears barely twitched as the acutest whistle reached his ears. Never breaking stride he turned toward the sound. After five well placed jumps, he let gravity pull his body down to land on the forest floor with a muffled thud. He slowly straightened as within seconds three people landed neatly beside him.

"What is it?" Naruto asked impatiently.

"Calm down, Naruto," Sai snapped. He sighed as his arms unconsciously crossed in an antisocial manner. Naruto glared coldly at the boy that could pass for Sasuke's double

"Kiba said Akamaru smelled something ahead. Something bad. I think we should let Neji take a look before we wander blindly into a trap!" Sai growled.

Naruto blinked slowly. He could see Kiba's brown spiky head nodding his affirmation from the corner of his eye; Akamaru nowhere in sight. The small bundle beneath Kiba's shirt answered the unasked question.

Naruto sighed and turned to Neji. Neji nodded. He turned away, hands already performing seal signs

"Byakugan." He shouted. The veins surrounding his temples and neck jumped into perspective as he activated his kekkei genkai

Neji scanned the land slowly, seeing through tree and shadows for the next league in the forest. He took a breath. Neji's silver eyes closed as he let his chakra slip away. He sighed.

Sai and Kiba turned to Naruto but he was already gone, running through the trees as his speeds limit. He suddenly ran out of trees that ended in a clearing and had to slam on the brakes; the force almost yanked him out of the tall, _tall_ tree until he sent a wave of chakra to his feet to hold him to the branch. He exhaled calmly as settled into a crouch as he took a deep breath. He nearly choked. _Blood._ The metallic smell was overpowering, driving all senses haywire.

_Blood._ The teenager drew his hand away from the sticky warm mass that was his tattered shirt. The kunai had come dangerously close. He winced mentally as he growled under his breath to distract himself from the pain.

"Itachi!" He spun around, crimson eyes scanning the trees and ground surrounding him furiously.

"_Sasuke…You're a weak, pathetic excuse for a ninja…"_

The younger boy's sweaty hands clenched into fists.

"_For an Uchiha…"_

Crimson eyes flashed open as Sasuke spun around. He jerked to the side as a kunai that would've lodged in his throat cut a wire thin scratch from his ear. At his collarbone the kunai sank into tender flesh. Sasuke's scream was cut to a guttural cry as a pale hand shot out of the shadows behind him closed on his throat and tightened. Sasuke's darkening eyes filled with Itachi's smirking face.

"_Too late again, younger brother…"_

Sasuke's world shuddered. His head felt lighter than the air it needed. Gripping at the wrist of the hand suffocating him, he spat out, "I will not die… today, brother…"

"_You try so hard to be better than me, but face it Sasuke: even as you grow stronger—_so do I

Itachi's hand tightened briefly and blackness set in before he shoved Sasuke from him. Sasuke lurched away, teetering on the edge of the thick limb before falling. He twisted in midair to grab a branch. His hand closed on a feeble twig that broke under his velocity and weight, hurling him into the neighboring trees trunk. Sasuke desperately tried to spread the impact away from his vital organ areas as his head hit the trunk with a loud crack. His body fell limp in freefall as twigs and bark were shredded off the tree, cutting and bruising him. His seemingly lifeless body collapsed in a heap as the ground rushed up to met him. Sasuke didn't move; black eyes stayed closed.

A dark form was crouched over Sasuke as his eyes opened a few moments later. The dark green forest spun as Sasuke levered himself onto his elbow.

"Pathetic."

A sharp kick caught Sasuke in the ribs, throwing him against the tree. Sasuke screamed as a kunai stabbed into his shoulder, pinning him to the tree. Sasuke grunted in the effort to keep from screaming again in pain

His body stiffened against a hot breath on his ear. "You don't even know the meaning of pain; let alone what it feels like.

Searing white pain hit Sasuke's arm. Itachi smiled grimly as he continued to drag the kunai bone deep through his younger brothers left arm. Blood gushed over into Sasuke's lap; drenching his skin and clothes.

Sasuke chuckled hysterically. Once. Twice. Itachi frowned. Something was _very_ wrong.

Naruto dropped to the ground. Fear was palpable on the incompatible gentle breeze that swept over the damaged field. The sunset streaked the sky blood red. Long furrows raked the ground as if a demon had raked his nails across the soil. Scorch marks littered the ground; mingling blood pooled in the lands dips and sways. Naruto's aimlessly wandering feet slowly drew him into the forest

Low mechanical laughing echoed in his bleeding ears as his vision spun, blurring sky and land. Something shifted from the deep darkness of Sasuke's mind. A warm hand closed on his upper arm and the weight in his lap shifted.

"Itachi..." His breath was barely a whisper. Sasuke reached out a hand. But he didn't move. His vision blurred, dimming out.

Serious blue eyes met Sasuke's black ones.

"I know someone with blue eyes." Sasuke whispered as memories lit behind his eyes. Sakura, Kakashi and Naruto in their Team Seven days; his parents death replayed in his mind; Orochimaru's commands; Itachi's last moments.

"Itachi…" Sasuke gasped. He reached out a hand. But he didn't move. His vision blurred, dimming out, then his world shuddered and went dark.

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Updating as soon as possible. Comment, please. 


	2. Chapter 2

Forgot to do this…Sorry: I got a new name (read me like a book) and have restarted this story basically under that. So if you would like… come read it. If not don't worry, I'll just miss your support.


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